Tilting road scraper



a- 5, 1941. F. H. HIRST 2,251,452

TILTING ROAD SGRAPER Filed Sept. 18, 1939 4 Shets-Sheet 1 1mm? 'fiank n.W151 Aug. 5, 1941. F. H. HIRST TILTING ROAD SCRAPER Filed Sept 18, 19594 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 5? E a L F i u 5, 1941. F. H. HIRIST 2,251,452

TILTING ROAD SCRAPER Filed Sept. 18, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig; [MST 3 im'ome g Aug. 5, 1941. F. H. HIRST TILTING ROAD SCRAPER Filed Sept. 18,1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jmuh.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 TILTING ROAD SCRAPER.

Frank H. Hirst, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignor to Charles G. Willett,Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application September 18, 1939, Serial No. 295,425

14 Claims.

This invention relates to road scrapers and is particularly directed tothat type which is provided with a scraper blade capable of beingrotated and tilted.

The invention resides particularly in the provision of hydraulic meansto rotate and tilt the scraper blade, as well as to lock the blade inany position to which it has been rotated.

A novel feature of this device and the principal object of theinventionis the provision of a conduit for carrying oil or otherhydraulic liquid flrst to the locking means for the purpose of releasingsame and then to the means which operates to rotate the scraper blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide independent hydraulicoperated means at each side of the machine to tilt the scraper blade toany desired position. That is, the hydraulic force, while acting uponone side of the machine to raise one end of the blade, may or may notact upon the opposite side to lower the opposite end of the blade.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will appear more fully asthe description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and following description set forth in detailcertain means and one mode of carrying out my invention said meansconstituting, however, but one of various ways in which the principle ofthe invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 is a. top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an under plan view of the device showing diagrammatically thehydraulic system used to effect rotation, tilting and releasing of thelocking device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the locking meanstaken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the locking device ofFig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the construction of .the rings andgears constituting the rotating mechanism.

The device is adapted to be placed behind a cab or truck (not shown) andto be pulled thereby over the surface of a road. The constructionconsists of an elongated substantially horizontally positioned channelmember I at each side of the machine. An elongated plate 2 is placedbelow each of the channel members I and is secured in place by means tobe described hereinafter. At the front and rear of the machine and ateach side thereof are the vertically extending channel members 3, thechannels of which face each other to thereby act as guide means for thetilting supports.

The tilting supports themselves are each composed of an outer bar 4 andan inner bar 5 spaced therefrom at each side of the machine as shown inFig. 2. The channel members 3 are placed against the channels I andsecured thereto by means of the clamps 6. An angle member I ispositioned in each corner between the vertical channels 3 and thehorizontal channels I and is secured to the horizontal channel member bymeans of the clamps 8 and 9.

The bars 4 and 5 at each side of the machine are separated at each endby means of the members ill, the front and rear ends of said bars beingdisposed within the channel portion of the members 3 whereby they areguided in their vertical movements.

At each side of the machine an arcuate angle member II is located whichis provided at each end thereof with parallel outwardly extendingportions l2. The portions I2 at the rear of the arcuate angles II aresecured by means of bolts l3 to the spaced apart members 4 and 5, thebolts passing through spacer members l4. At the forward end of themachine bolts l5 are used to secure the forward end of the member I l tothe spaced apart members 4 and 5, these bolts also passing through aspacer member i6.

At substantially the center of the machine a stationary ring I! isprovided having a plurality of bosses l8 extending laterally outwardlytherefrom and secured to the inner bars 5. Within and above thestationary ring I1 is located a movable ring in the form of a Z havingan upper horizontal flanged portion l9 and a lower horizontal flangedportion 20 (Fig. 6). The intermediate portion 2I connecting the flangesl9 and 20 is provided with a plurality of roller members 22 securedthereto by means of the bolt 23 and nut 24. The roller members 22 areadapted to rest on the lower horizontal flange Ila of the ring I! tothereby permit rotation of the Z- shaped ring.

Extending across the under side of the 2 ring is a supporting channelmember 25 which extends outwardly beyond each side of the machine. Thelower flange 23 on the Z-shaped ring is somewhat strengthened by widenedsections 23 thereof at diametrically opposed portions of the ring. Thewidened portions 23 are provided with a plurality of openingscorresponding with similar openings in the web portion of the channel 23.to permit the insertion of bolts 21 therethrough to secure the channelmember 23 to the Z-shaped ring. It will thus be seen that any rotationof the ring will thereby be transmitted to the channel member 23.

At a plurality of spaced apart points throughout the lengthof thechannel member 23 are positioned the tapered channels 23 which aresecured to the upper side of the channel 23 by means of the bolts-29.The channels 23 each extends beyond one side of the channel 23 and haspivotally secured thereto by means of the pivot pins 33 a downwardlyextending bracket member 3|. At the forward side of the bracket members3| and extending longitudinally of the channel member 23 is secured asupporting plate 32 to which is secured at its lower edge portion thescraper blade 33. The blade 33 is supported resiliently through thelinks 34 and 33 by means of the.coiled compression spring 33. One end ofeach of the springs 33 extends along the under side of the web of thechannel 23 while the other end extends downwardly and is receivedbetween the sides of a small channel member 31 which is pivotallymounted by means of the pin 33 between the ends of the link 33. Thespring 33 is of the usual form provided with two separate coils at thetop, the downwardly extending portion being curved again upwardlyconnecting the two spaced apart upper coils. This resilient mounting ofthe scraper blade 33 permits rearward movement of the blade when anunexpectedly hard object is struck on the road surface.

The upper side of the channel member 23 is provided near each end with amember 33 secured thereto having its upper surface extending beyond thelower edge thereof to form a lip 43. These members are so located withrespect to the arcuate angle members I I that the lips 43 extend overthe horizontal flange of said angle member. Although the channel 23 issupported on the movable ring 23, the lip portions 40 may act as afurther support if they are in contact with the horizontal flange on thearcuate member ll. Also these'members 33 will aid in preventing anyslippage longitudinally of the channel member 23 when it is in a tiltedposition.

The horizontal flange 23 of the movable ring member is provided at itslower side with the gear segments 4| and 42 extending partially aroundthe ring in the arc of a circle, one at each side of the channel member23. The gear segments 41 and 42 are secured to the flange 23 of theZ-shaped ring member by means of a plurality of bolts 43.

At the rear of the machine a plate 44 extends laterally thereof betweenthe inner members 3 of the tilting supports. At the longitudinal centerof the plate 44 and near one edge thereof a gear 43 is rotatably mountedand the teeth thereof are adapted to be emneshed with the teeth on thegear segment 42 so that any rotation of the gear 43 will cause arotation of the gear segment 42, the Z-shaped ring member, and thescraper blade 33. On the same shaft with the gear 43 and positionedtherebelow is a smaller gear '43. Each end of the plate 44 is providedwith downwardly extending brackets 41 which terminate in bearings forthe support of a shaft 43. On this shaft is a slidably mounted cylinder43 within which is a disk 33 positioned and rigidly secured to the shaft43. One side of the cylinder 43 is provided with a rack 3| having teeththereon adapted to be enmeshed with the teeth on the small gear 43. Itwill therefore be evident that any longitudinal movement of the cylinder43 along the; shaft 43 will result in a rotation of the scraper blade 33through the gears 43 and 43 and the gear segments 42.

At the forward end of the machine another plate 32 extends laterallythereof and is secured between the inner members 3 of the tiltingsupports. At substantially the center of the plate 32 and on the lowerside thereof a housing 33 is positioned which is provided at each sidethereof with outwardly extending flanges 34 through which the bolts 33pass and secure the housing to the under side of the plate 32.

A pair of spaced apart cylinders 33 is located between the sides ofthehousing 33 and secured thereto such as by welding or any other desiredmeans. Slidabiy mounted within the housing and movable laterally of theplate 32 is a looking member 31 of the shape substantially as shown inFig. 4. Each side of the member 31 is positioned in the space betweenone of the cylinders 33 and the sides of the housing 33. Within each ofthe cylinders 33 a piston 33 is located to which is secured a piston rod33 extending outwardly through one end of the locking member 31. Eachpiston rod 33 is provided with a threaded end 33 permitting the pistonrod to be secured to the locking member 31 by means of the nut 3|.

Between the cylinders 33 a block 32 is located which may either be castintegrally with the cylinders or a separate block secured to the housing33. Also within the housing is a compression spring 33 having one endbearing against a side of the locking member 31 and the other endbearing against the block 32. At the same side of the locking member 31against which one end of the compression spring 33 bears and at theouter side thereof a plurality of teeth 34 are secured thereto or castintegrally therewith, which teeth are adapted to set between and meshwith the teeth on the gear segment 4|. The normal position of thelocking member 31 is as shown in Fig. 4 where the teeth 34 thereof areengaged withthe teeth on the gear segment 4i and it is held in thatposition by the force of the compression spring 33. When the lockingdevice is in this normal position it acts to prevent any rotation of thegear segment 4| and hence will also prevent any rotation of the scraperblade 33.

The cylinders 33 are each provided near one end thereof with openings 33to permit the entrance of oil or other desired hydraulic liquid. Anotheropening 33 is provided in each of the cylinders 33 spaced from theopenings 33 to permit the hydraulic liquid to flow from the cylinderswhen the pistons 33 have been moved by the action of the hydraulicliquid a suflicient distance. The pistons 38 being connected to thelocking member 51 by means of the piston rods 33, any outward movementthereof due to the force of the hydraulic liquid within the cylinderswhich is suflicient to overcome the compression of the spring member 33,will also move the locking member 31 in a direction such that the teeth34 thereon willbecome disengaged from the teeth on the gear segment 4ithereby permitting a rotation of the various rotatable parts 'lncluding'the scraper blade 33. The specific manner in which the hydraulic liquidis controlled will be more fully described hereinafter.

At each side of the machine and positioned above the tilting supports 4and 5 is located a cylinder 61 (Fig. 3). Each of the cylinders isprovided with a piston therein having a piston rod 60 connected theretoto the outer end of which is secured a bracket 60. An elongated bar issecured near one end thereof to the bracket 69 by means of the bolts 1|whereby the bar 10 will move longitudinally upon any movement of thepiston rod 68.

At the forward end of the machine a bell crank lever 12 is pivotallymounted at 13 to the .plate 2. One end of the bell crank is pivotallysecured at 14 to the forward end of the bar 10 and the other end ispivotally secured at 15 to a link 16. This link is then pivotallymounted through another link 11 to the forward end of the tiltingsupports 4 and 5 at 18. Through a similar arrangement at the rear of themachine a bell crank lever 10 is pivotally mounted at 80 near the rearend of the plate 2 having one end thereof pivotally secured at 8| to thebar 10 and the other end thereof pivotally secured at 82 to a link 83,which is in turn secured by a second link 64 to the rear of the tiltingsupports 4 and 5 at 85.

The operation of this tilting mechanism is such that when the piston rod68 is moved rearwardly, thereby eifecting a rearward movement of the bar10, a counter-clockwise rotation of the bell crank 12 and the clockwiserotation of the bell crank 19 will be effected so that the tiltingsupports 4 and 5 together with all of the elements connected thereto,including the scraper blade 33, will be lowered. A forward movement ofthe piston rod 68 will reverse the above described movement so that thetilting bars 4 and 5 will be raised. As above mentioned, an arrangementof this character is provided to independently operate at each side ofthe machine and is so arranged that when the piston rod 68 at one sideof the machine is moved forwardly to raise one end of the scraper blade33, the piston rod 68 at the opposite side of the machine, while notnecessarily, may if desired be simultaneously moved rearwardly to effecta lowering of the opposite end of the scraper blade 33. The tilting ofthese members and operation of the piston rod 68 is also effectedhydraulically in a manner which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

Within the cab of the truck pulling the machine over the road surfaceand located so that easy access may be had to them, is a plurality ofvalves 86, 81 and 88. Passing through these valves is a conduit 89 atone end of which is located a pump (not shown) which is adapted tooperate continuously to pump the hydraulic liquid through the line 89.Another conduit 80 is connected to the conduit 89 to return the liquidto the reservoir (also not shown). Also in the line 89 and beyond itsconnection to the line 90 is located a valve 0|. When all of the valves66, 81, 88 and 0| are in their normal closed position, there is acontinuous passage of liquid from the pump through the conduits 89 and90 and back to the reservoir.

The valve 86 is operated to release the locking mechanism 51 and one endthereof is connected by the conduit 92.to one of the openings 65 in oneof the cylinders 56; and connected to the opening 66 in the samecylinder is .a conduit 83 which extends toward the rear of the machineand conducts the liquid through the hollow shaft '48 where it escapesthrough an opening 84 to one end of the movable piston 48.

The other end of the valve 86 is connected by a conduit 05 to theconduit 96 which extends from the opening 05 in the other cylinder 86 toa point in the conduit at the opposite side of the valve 0| from theconduit 90 and is provided with a check valve 91 which will permit flowof liquid therethrough only in the direction toward the valve 8|.Another conduit 98 then extends irom the opening 88 in the correspondingcylinder 60 to the opposite end of the hollow shaft 48. Also in theshaft 48 is a second opening 98 at the opposite side of the stationarypiston 50 so that when liquid enters the cylinder through the opening 84the liquid in the opposite end of the cylinder will escape through theopening 80. The reverse procedure will occur when oil enters thecylinder through the opening 99 permitting the escape of liquid from theother end of the cylinder through the opening 84.

Also extending from the conduit 92 to the junction of the conduits 00and 91 is another conduit I00 having a check valve l0l therein so thatthe liquid will be permitted to flow only toward the valve 0|.

Another conduit I02 extends upwardly from each of the cylinders 61 andfrom the rear end thereof at each side of the machine, which isconnected to the valve 81. The conduit I02 at one side of the machine isconnected to one of the openings in the valve 81 at the other side ofthe machine is connected to the opposite end of the valve 81, asindicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2.

At the forward end'of each of the cylinders 61 at each side ofthemachine a conduit I03 extends to thefi'valve 08 and one is connected at.

each end of the valve in a similar manner to that above explained withregard to the conduits I02. In the conduit I02 are two branches I 020.and I021), the branch I 02a having therein a. check valve I04 whichpermits liquid to flow only into the rear end of the cylinder 61. Thebranch I02b has therein a spring check valve I05 which permits liquid toflow only away from the cylinder 61 and toward the valve 81. The springin the valve I05 is adjusted so that its tension is greater than theweight of the tilting bars 4 and 5 and themechanism attached thereto sothat when all of the mechanism is in its raised position it is held soby the spring and the column of liquid between the valve I05 and thecylinder 61.

Obviously, then when one end of the scraper blade is to be raised, theweight of the various elements together with the tension of the springmust be overcome, but when liquid is passed through the conduit I03 tothe forward end of the cylinder 61 for the purpose of lowering that endof the scraper blade, only the tension of the spring in excess of theweight of the various elements need be overcome since the weight itselftends to be lowered due to the force of gravity.

Operation The operation of the locking device together with the rotatingmechanism is substantially as follows.

This portion of the mechanism is best shown in Fig. 2. Assuming that aclockwise rotation of the channel member 25, to which is secured thescraper blade 33, is desired, the rear opening in the valve 66 will beopened permitting the liquid and the similar conduit being pumpedthrough the conduit 8! to flow throughthe conduit 02 and enter theopening I! in the cylinder Ii shown at the right hand side of Fig. 4.Both of the pistons 58 will thereby be moved outwardly to release theengagement of the teeth 04 with the teeth on the gear segment ll. Whenthe teeth have been completely disengaged, the piston 58 will have beenmoved beyond the openings 86 whereupon the liquid will continue to flowfrom the openings 80 through the conduit I, into the hollow shaft 48,out of the opening 94 and into one end of the cylinder 40. As the liquidcontinues to flow into the cylinder, the stationary piston 50 will forcea longitudinal movement of the cylinder 4! together with the rack llthereon, which in turn causes a counter-clockwise rotation of the gears48 and ll (Fig. 2). This rotation results in a corresponding clockwiserotation if the gear segment 42 which, through the connection of thechannel member 25, also rotates the scraper blade 33.

Obviously, when the liquid flows out of the opening it the liquid in theopposite end of the cylinder will be forced through the opening 99 andwill flow outwardly through the opposite end of the hollow shaft 4|,through the conduit 98 into the cylinder 50 at the left hand side ofFig. 4 by means of the opening 88 and will be released from saidcylinder through the opening 85 into the conduit OI. At this point inthe operation both of the cylinders I8 have liquid trapped therein andin order to again lock the rotating mechanism in the position to whichit has been rotated, the valve OI is opened thereby releasing thepressure in the cylinders 56 whereupon the coiled compression spring 83operates to engage the teeth 84 thereon with the teeth on the gearsegment 4|. As soon as the locking has been effected the valve BI isagain closed thereby maintaining the scraper blade 33 in any desiredposition within the limits of the arcuate angle members H positioned ateach side of the machine.

Obviously, to rotate the scraper blade in the opposite direction, thereverse procedure is effected by permitting liquid to flow from theopening at the forward end of the valve 86 through the conduits 05 andI.

The operation of the tilting mechanism is substantially as follows.

Viewing the mechanism as shown in Fig. 3, and assuming that it is thedesire to lower this end of the scraper blade and to raise the otherend, the valves '1 and it are brought into operation, the liquid beingpermitted to flow out of the rear ends of these valves as shown in Fig.2 through the conduits In from the valve 81 and through the conduit IIIfrom the valve II. The liquid coming into the forward end of thecylinder 1 at the left side of the machine, the piston rod 6| togetherwith the bar I. connected thereto will be moved in a rearward directionto cause a clockwise rotation of the bell crank 18 and acounter-clockwise rotation of the bell crank 12, thereby lowering theleft side of the tilting mechanism including that end of the scraperblade. At the same time if the liquid is permitted to flow through theconduit II! at the right side of the machine it will wardly through thebranch lllib wherein the spring check valve II is located.

From the above description it will beseen that I have constructed novelhydraulic means for not only controlling the rotation and tilting of thescraper blade on a machine of this character, but I have alsoprovidedeil'ective locking means to maintain the blade in any positionto which it has been rotated. It will also be evident that the samemeans which operates the rotating mechanism also operates the lockingmechanism to release same and-must act upon the locking mechanism beforeany rotation is permitted.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be usedinstead of the one here explained, change being made as regards the,

mechanism herein described provided, however, that the means stated byany of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

I claim:

1. The combination with a road scraper having a scraping blade rotatablymounted thereon, of means to rotate said blade, a valve, a conduitextending between said valve and said means carrying a liquid tohydraulically operate said means, and locking means normally preventingrotation of said blade connected to said conduit between said valve andsaid first named means,

whereby the locking means will be milocked to permit rotation of saidblade when said valve is open.

2. The combination with a road scraper having a scraping blade rotatablymounted thereon, of means normally locking said blade against rotation,and fluid operated means to first release said locklng means, and thenrotate said blade.

3. In a road scraper having a tiltable and rotatable scraping bladethereon, the combination of releasable means normally locking said bladeagainst rotation, means to rotate said blade and hydraulic means torelease said locking means, said hydraulic means also acting on saidrotating means after the release of said locking means to rotate saidblade.

4. The combination of elements defined in claim 3, combined withhydraulically controlled means located at each side of the machine totilt said blade.

5. A device of the class described comprising, a scraper blade, asupport for said blade rotatably andtiltably mounted on the machine,releasable locking means to lock said blade and support in any positionto which rotated, and hydraulic means to rotate said blade and support,said means also acting first to release said locking means.

v 6. The combination of elements defined in claim 5, combined withhydraulic means to tilt said blade and support, said means actingsimultaneously to raise one side and lower the other.

7. A machine of the class described comprising,-

. the ends of said supporting members, a member force the piston rod 08and the bar II in a forward direction whereby a raising of that side ofthe machine is eifected.

When the liquid flowing through the conduit Ill enters the forward endof the cylinder 81, the liquid which has previously entered the cylinderfrom the rear end thereof will be forced outrotatably mounted betweensaid supporting members and supported thereby, gear segments secured toand rotatable with said rotatable membar, a gear wheel having teethadapted to mesh with the teeth of one of said segments, means to rotatesaid gear wheel, releasable locking means having teeth thereon adaptedto engage the teeth of another of said segments to prevent rotation ofsaid rotatable member, a supporting member secured to and movable withsaid rotatable member, a scraper-blade secured to said last namedsupporting member, a valve, a conduit extending from said valve to saidlocking means and from the locking means to the means to rotate the gearwheel, and liquid adapted to flow through said conduit upon opening saidvalve whereby the liquid will flow first to the looking means to releasesame and then to the rotating means to rotate said gear wheel, rotatablemember and scraper blade.

8. A device of the class described comprising, a scraper blade, asupport for said blade movably mounted on the machine, releasablelocking means to lock said blade and support against movement, and fluidoperated means to move said blade and support, said means also actingfirst to release said locking means.

9. The combination of elements defined in claim 8, combined with fluidoperated means to tilt said blade and support, each of said fluid meansbeing independently operable, whereby either end of the blade may beraised or lowered independently of the other.

10. A road scraper comprising, a chassis, a scraper blade, a supportforsaid blade movably mounted on said chassis, and means at each side ofsaid chassis and independently operable for 13 suspendingsaid supportfrom said chassis including a bell-crank lever at front and rearthereof, links connecting each of said levers with said support, and arigid member connecting said levers together, and so arranged thatlongitudinal i movement of said rigid member will raise and lower saidsupport.

11. The combination of elements defined in claim 10, combined with asubstantially horizontal cylinder and piston, the rod of said pistonbeing connected to said rigid member, and fluid means to actuate saidpiston causing a longitudinal movement of said rigid member.

12. The combination with a road scraper having a ring rotatably mountedthereon and a scraping blade secured thereto and. rotatable therewith,of releasable locking means normally preventing rotation of said bladeincluding a gear segment on said ring, a slidable locking member mountedadjacent said gear segment, teeth on said locking member normallyengaging the teeth on said gear segment to prevent rotation thereof, andmeans to slide said locking member to disengage the teeth thereof fromthe gear segment to permit rotation thereof which includes, twocylinders having pistons and piston rods therein connected to saidslidable locking member, and openings in each cylinder permittingentrance of a fluid thereunto.

13. A road scraper comprising, a chassis, a scraper blade, a support forsaid blade movably mounted on said chassis, means for suspending saidsupport from said chassis including a bellcrank lever at front and rearthereof, links connecting each of said levers with said support, and arigid member connecting said levers together and so arranged thatlongitudinal movement of said rigid member will raise and lower saidsupport, said suspension means being located one at each side of saidchassis, and fluid operated means to operate each suspension meansindependently.

14. A road scraper comprising, a chassis, a scraper blade, a support forsaid blade movably mounted on said chassis, means for suspending saidsupport from said chassis including a bellcrank lever at front and rearthereof, links connecting each of said levers with said support, and arigid member connecting said levers together and so arranged thatlongitudinal movement of said rigid member will raise and lower saidsupport, and vertical .guide means to loosely receive the ends of saidsupport, guiding it in its vertical movement and permitting a slightlylongitudinal rotation thereof.

FRANK H. HIRST.

